Local Sports Digest

YSU
Football
PHILADELPHIA -- YSU senior cornerback Codera Jackson, a 2005 second-team All-American, was one of 16 players named to the first Buck Buchanan Award watch list.
Jackson, who has been a consensus preseason first-team All-America selection and was named as the top cornerback in Division I-AA prior the coming season, is the only corner and one of three secondary members on the initial list. Linebackers lead the way with nine of the 16 nominees while defensive lineman have four.
Jackson led the conference and ranked in the top 10 nationally in total interceptions and interceptions per game in 2005. He picked off six passes in 11 games and had 50 tackles.
STEELHOUNDS
SteelHounds signthree defenders
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown SteelHounds signed one-year deals with defensemen Matt Suderman and Vince Guiducci and goaltender Corey Wogtech.
Suderman, 23, a seventh-round selection (199th overall) by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL draft, joins the team after a two-year stint in the United Hockey League. The 6-3, 235 pound defender, known for his physical style of play, racked up 151 penalty minutes in 56 games with the Missouri River Otters (UHL) last year. Suderman spent three seasons with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he posted 27 points and 367 penalty minutes in 198 games.
Guiducci, 25, a native of Hamilton, Ont., played four seasons in Boston with the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards. After appearing in 106 games with the Leopards, the 5-10, 160 pound Guiducci ranks 12th on the school's all-time scoring list with 73 points (13 goals, 60 assists). He was a part of two WIT teams that took home Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast crowns and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Wogtech, 24, is the second goalie signed by the Hounds. The 6-1, 175-pounder played nine games with the Missouri River Otters last season. With the Otters, Wogtech posted a record of 1-4-2 including one shutout. The St. Louis native also had stints of three games played with both Oklahoma City and Huntsville.
LOCAL
Babe Ruth awards
NEWARK, Ohio -- Ed Rohan (Ursuline) was selected to the All-World Team as a catcher at the 16-18 year-old Babe Ruth World Series.
He went 9-for-11, with six doubles, a home run and eight RBIs and was honored with the Sportsmanship Award.
Three R & amp;J trucking players were named to the all-defensive team: outfielder Ben Miller (Salem), second baseman Joey Wielbruda (Ursuline) and utility player Corey Vukovich (McDonald), who pitched a two-hitter to beat San Gabriel (Calif.), which went on to win the World Series. R & amp;J finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.
Football tickets
YOUNGSTOWN -- Tickets for Cardinal Mooney's football game at Walsh Jesuit on Friday will be on sale today and Friday in the school office from 7:45 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Cost for adults is $5 and students $3. All tickets at the gate are $5. Game time is 7 p.m.
Time changes
Tonight's Chaney-Fitch football game will be at 7:30 p.m., not 7 p.m. Also, Friday's Southern-East Palestine game was moved to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Butch to be honored
CANFIELD -- Hall of Fame official Mike Butch will be honored when he tosses the coin before the Canfield-Rayen football game tonight.
Butch has worked state playoff games for many years and is now the commissioner of the City Series and Steel Valley Conference.
REGION
Ex-Brown Hickersonfinalist for HOF
CANTON -- Gene Hickerson, who blocked for three Hall of Fame running backs with the Cleveland Browns during his NFL career, and Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Sanders have been selected as senior committee finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
They will be among 15 finalists voted on by the Hall's 39-member selection board on Feb. 3, the day before the Super Bowl. Three to six members will be enshrined next summer.
Vindicator staff/wire reports